A REBEL'S PATH

In this third installment of a fantasy series, a woman still learning to master her powerful magic faces a destructive, mythical creature.

Inez Garza must wield her mystical powers secretly in Canto, where magic is illegal. But though she’s the prophesied one who will bring magic back to Canto and all the Enchanted Isles, she can’t control her own powers. Inez’s frenetic life includes her debt to Áliz, for whom she has smuggled “illicit magical merchandise.” At the same time, Inez is the girlfriend of Crown Prince Zavier, whose sister-in-law, the queen, does what she can to thwart the couple’s engagement. But something else takes precedence—a story that adults tell to scare children comes alive in Canto. “The Cat,” who mesmerizes listeners with his fiddle, threatens Inez’s friend Meiri and turns the Canti against one another in violent incidents. Inez readies to fight the daunting feline while keeping her eye out for the individual who likely called The Cat into their world. Luckily, there’s a weapon that may be able to take him out. Unfortunately, it’s lost, and the only place Inez can look for it exists in the past. Cruz’s latest installment moves at an exhilarating pace. Inez’s obstacles are seemingly endless; she must get her hands on a particular item just so she can time travel and search for the crucial weapon. She bounces through taut, entertaining subplots and interacts with dubious characters while the author sprinkles in lighter moments, such as a famous nursery rhyme she weaves into the story. Nevertheless, much of the plot is somber, with a sublime hero whose guilt persistently weighs her down. Inez blames herself for not seizing control of her magic. She rushes to save her friends at the first hint of peril, but in this volume, she suffers a serious loss, which perfectly sets up the series’ next entry.

An enthralling quest tale with a valiant and enchanting protagonist.